


this city's on fire tonight

by kiyala



Series: flame and colour [1]
Category: Les Misérables - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Diwali, Indian Combeferre, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-23
Updated: 2014-10-23
Packaged: 2018-02-22 07:34:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,299
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2499746
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kiyala/pseuds/kiyala
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's the first Diwali since Combeferre and Courfeyrac moved in together. Courfeyrac is determined to make it special.</p>
            </blockquote>





	this city's on fire tonight

There are tealight candles on either side of the doormat when Combeferre gets home from work. He pauses, watching the small flames burn steadily in the still air of the apartment corridor. It takes him a moment to remember today's date but he does with a smile, sliding his key into the lock and turning.

The sun is setting outside, the dying light coming through the window and bathing the apartment in its dim glow. None of the lights are turned on, but there are tealight candles on every surface that they can safely sit on. The edge of the coffee table is bordered in them and Combeferre laughs softly, putting his bag down against the wall. 

"Courfeyrac?"

"Shit, you're not meant to be home yet," Courfeyrac says, from the kitchen.

Combeferre walks towards him and the smell of cardamom and boiling milk makes his eyes go wide. He finds Courfeyrac standing in front of a saucepan, mixing its contents.

"What are you doing?" Combeferre asks, wrapping his arms around Courfeyrac's waist from behind.

"I _think_ I'm making _kheer_. I hope. I called your mother the other day to ask for the recipe."

"You…" Combeferre blinks. "What?"

Courfeyrac glances over his shoulder at Combeferre with an embarrassed smile. "It's the first Diwali since we moved in together. I wanted to make it special."

Holding onto Courfeyrac's shoulders, Combeferre gently turns him around and gives him a deep kiss. "I love you. I'm not even Hindu though, you know that."

"Diwali still matters to you. It's part of your culture. I know that too."

Combeferre smiles, touching their foreheads together. "You're the best."

"I love you," Courfeyrac murmurs, pressing another kiss to Combeferre's lips. "I need to get back to this so it doesn't burn. I already finished making dinner, so we'll eat once you're ready."

Combeferre takes a quick shower and changes into comfortable pants and a loose shirt. When he returns to the kitchen, Courfeyrac is already setting the table.

"My mother gave you more recipes than you asked for, didn't she?" Combeferre asks, raising an eyebrow at the bowls of curry on the table.

"Saved me from having to ask for them," Courfeyrac replies, smiling. "I've wanted to know how to make this _malai kofta_ since we went to your parents' house for your dad's birthday."

Combeferre bites his lip because he isn't actually sure that he can smile any harder. "Okay, let's eat."

The _kheer_ is brought out after they finish eating and Combeferre isn't even surprised to discover that it's not the only Indian sweet that Courfeyrac has. He knows how much Courfeyrac loves them all and he laughs when he sees the boxes of _jilebi_ , _laddu_ and _burfi_.

"I think that's a bit too much for the two of us," Combeferre comments.

"We'll take the leftovers with us next time we go to the Musain," Courfeyrac replies. "Except the _jilebi_. I'm keeping that."

Combeferre smiles fondly. "Of course you are."

The _kheer_ is good. It's warm and sweet and it's Combeferre's favourite of all Indian sweets. He suspects that this fact might have something to do with the fact that Courfeyrac went to the effort of making it instead of finding somewhere to buy it.

"This tastes just as good as my mother's," Combeferre tells him, watching as Courfeyrac's face lights up. "We should tell her. I need to call my parents tonight anyway. She'll be so proud of you."

Courfeyrac beams. "You really think so?"

"I do."

Courfeyrac has always been good at cooking. It comes from the fact that he's the oldest of five siblings by quite a few years, and it's one of the reasons he gets along with Combeferre's mother so well.

Leaning across the table, Combeferre kisses Courfeyrac. His lips are soft, his mouth is sweet, and Combeferre could happily kiss him forever. He loves Courfeyrac so fiercely and whenever he thinks it's impossible to fall any deeper in love, Courfeyrac does something like this and proves him wrong.

"You're really happy," Courfeyrac whispers when they pull apart, like it's an actual surprise.

"I feel like the happiest man in the world right now. And the luckiest. Have I told you how amazing you are?"

Grinning, Courfeyrac presses a kiss to Combeferre's cheek. "Yes, but I'm happy to hear it again. I mean, if I _have_ to."

Getting to his feet, Combeferre takes Courfeyrac's hand. "Come with me."

Their balcony is small, and Courfeyrac has decorated it with tealight candles too. Combeferre squeezes Courfeyrac's hand. "Stay here. I'll be back."

Courfeyrac nods and Combeferre ducks back inside. He bought a pack of sparklers a week ago, unsure if he wanted to use them. He pulls them out of the closet and returns to the balcony. When Courfeyrac sees them, his smile grows even wider.

"I thought you might enjoy the fact that we have a legitimate reason to play with fire," Combeferre says fondly. "Not quite fireworks, but it'll have to do."

"This is great," Courfeyrac tells him, lighting one with a candle. "I love sparklers. I love all of this. I love you."

Combeferre wraps his arm around Courfeyrac's waist, lighting a sparkler against his. "Love you too."

They stay out on the balcony until they've finished the entire pack. The air smells like smoke, reminding Combeferre of his childhood, of celebrating Diwali at home. Courfeyrac is smiling, even as Combeferre pulls him into a kiss.

"Happy Diwali, Combeferre."

"Happy Diwali," Combeferre replies. "I'm going to call my parents. You don't have to join me if you don't want to."

"Of course I want to. We'll put the phone on speaker. Let's go inside."

They cuddle on the couch as they talk to Combeferre's parents, and Courfeyrac looks both embarrassed and pleased with all the praise he receives, from both Combeferre and his parents alike. Courfeyrac is already adored by both of them, and that only increased when Combeferre tells them about how he came home to find the apartment decorated.

"When are you marrying him?" Combeferre's mother asks impatiently.

Courfeyrac's face goes bright red and Combeferre grabs for the phone, taking it off speaker and holding it to his ear. " _Amma_."

"I'm just saying that you should. I'm not getting any younger and I'm ready to be a grandmother. You have a lovely boy you can settle down and adopt children with. You know your second-cousin adopted her child, there's nothing wrong with—"

"I know, I know." Combeferre's face is warm, but at least his skin is dark enough that his blush won't show. "Now is really not the time, okay? Happy Diwali. I love you. Bye."

He hangs up, turning to Courfeyrac. "I'm sorry about that."

"No, no, it's fine." Courfeyrac's voice is pitched a little too high to sound believable. "It's good. I mean. It's good to know your parents approve, for when— _if_. If… you know. If we ever…"

Combeferre smiles slowly, pulling Courfeyrac into his arms. He presses a kiss to Courfeyrac's hair. "When. Definitely _when_."

Courfeyrac's eyes go wide and he looks happier than Combeferre has ever seen him. "Yeah?"

"Yeah. We're getting there." Combeferre kisses Courfeyrac again. "This has been the best Diwali I've ever had. Including that time the cousin I hate set himself on fire."

Courfeyrac laughs, hugging Combeferre tightly. "You say the sweetest things."

"But really," Combeferre murmurs. "Thank you. I'm not proposing right now, just to make that clear, because I need to _make plans_ , but I'm really looking forward to celebrating every Diwali with you. I'm just really happy with the thought of spending the rest of my life with you."

"Me too," Courfeyrac replies, pressing his face against the curve of Combeferre's neck and taking a deep breath. "It's the best thought in the world."

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Diwali!!
> 
> Title from Good Life by OneRepublic


End file.
